Second Week in August
On Aug. 13, 1995, Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle died from liver cancer at the age of 63. One of the most popular players in the history of the New York Yankees, Mantle hit 536 home runs over an 18-year career, while also belting a Major League record 18 home runs in World Series play. His lengthy blasts inspired the introduction of the phrase "tape-measure home runs,&quotl; into the baseball lexicon. On April 17, 1953, Mantle used the bat pictured here to blast arguably his most famous home run -- a 565-foot blast against Chuck Stobbs of the Washington Senators. The mammoth home run was considered the longest in the history of Griffith Stadium.

In spite of repeated knee injuries, "The Mick" won three American League MVP awards and took home the Triple Crown in 1956. He won election to the Hall of Fame in 1974, his first year of eligibility. After retiring as a player in the spring of 1969, Mantle briefly became a coach and later served as an announcer on Yankees cable television broadcasts.